Vänern

southern mesotrophic lake · 59°N

Real lakereal shorelinemeasured max depth 106 m28 species on recordsizes from survey fishingreal water chemistrysources & method →

clarity 2.1 mmax depth 106 mpH 7.3mesotrophicstatus goodgravel road

Fish Vänern Buy forecast

Character of the water

Vänern lies in the south — a southern mesotrophic lake.

The surroundings

The lake lies half-remote, a fair way from the nearest road, tucked into woodland.

Large and deep (106 m): a central basin ringed by drop-offs and shallow bays around the edges — varied bottom with many spots to read.

Permits & rules

Fishing permit required — Vänern FVOF. Day permit ~140 kr · annual permit ~700 kr.

Zander: minimum size 45 cm · protected during the spawn (Apr–May).
Pike: keep at most one over 75 cm per day.
Trout & Arctic char: protected during the autumn spawn · catch-and-release on certain stretches.
Handheld tackle only. Respect the protected zones at the inlets and outlets.

Species in Vänern

perch predatory fish

typically ~29 cm · can reach 46 cm

Here perch lives on the small stuff — and rewards those who fish small and fine.

ål fish

typically ~79 cm · can reach 80 cm

Ål lives down in the cool — the deep is its home ground all year.

asp fish

typically ~42 cm · can reach 63 cm

Asp is a sight-hunter here — the clear water means long follows before the take.

björkna fish

typically ~23 cm · can reach 38 cm

Björkna holds the bottom even in clear water — shade and depth are its cover.

bream coarse fish

typically ~29 cm · can reach 56 cm

Bream holds the bottom even in clear water — shade and depth are its cover.

elritsa fish

typically ~7 cm · can reach 8 cm

Elritsa moves carefully in the clear water — small mouthfuls, many of them.

färna fish

typically ~30 cm · can reach 60 cm

Here färna lives on the small stuff — and rewards those who fish small and fine.

pike predatory fish

typically ~57 cm · can reach 115 cm

Pike is a sight-hunter here — the clear water means long follows before the take.

ruffe perch family

typically ~15 cm · can reach 21 cm

Ruffe holds the bottom even in clear water — shade and depth are its cover.

zander predatory fish

typically ~44 cm · can reach 71 cm

Zander is a sight-hunter here — the clear water means long follows before the take.

grayling fish

typically ~30 cm · can reach 50 cm

Here grayling lives on the small stuff — and rewards those who fish small and fine.

id fish

typically ~38 cm · can reach 52 cm

Here id lives on the small stuff — and rewards those who fish small and fine.

karp fish

typically ~45 cm · can reach 95 cm

Karp holds the bottom even in clear water — shade and depth are its cover.

burbot bottom fish

typically ~45 cm · can reach 80 cm

Burbot lives down in the cool — the deep is its home ground all year.

salmon fish

typically ~62 cm · can reach 90 cm

In the clear water salmon picks its moments — wary, but relentless once committed.

löja fish

typically ~12 cm · can reach 20 cm

Here löja lives on the small stuff — and rewards those who fish small and fine.

roach coarse fish

typically ~23 cm · can reach 40 cm

Here roach lives on the small stuff — and rewards those who fish small and fine.

nors fish

typically ~20 cm · can reach 35 cm

Nors holds in the open water column where light and temperature set the day.

trout salmonids

typically ~72 cm · can reach 89 cm

Trout is a sight-hunter here — the clear water means long follows before the take.

regnbåge fish

typically ~39 cm · can reach 39 cm

In the clear water regnbåge picks its moments — wary, but relentless once committed.

Arctic char salmonids

typically ~35 cm · can reach 70 cm

Arctic char is a sight-hunter here — the clear water means long follows before the take.

ruda fish

typically ~38 cm · can reach 38 cm

Ruda holds the bottom even in clear water — shade and depth are its cover.

sarv fish

typically ~30 cm · can reach 39 cm

Sarv moves carefully in the clear water — small mouthfuls, many of them.

whitefish whitefish

typically ~38 cm · can reach 60 cm

Whitefish cruises the open water — the depth it picks follows the light through the day.

vendace whitefish

typically ~20 cm · can reach 27 cm

Vendace holds in the open water column where light and temperature set the day.

stäm fish

typically ~27 cm · can reach 29 cm

Stäm moves carefully in the clear water — small mouthfuls, many of them.

stensimpa fish

typically ~6 cm · can reach 7 cm

Stensimpa holds the bottom even in clear water — shade and depth are its cover.

sutare fish

typically ~46 cm · can reach 55 cm

Sutare holds the bottom even in clear water — shade and depth are its cover.

Fishing Vänern

Vänern holds 28 species, with perch, pike and zander at the top of the chain and ål, asp and björkna schooling beneath them. The depth gives the water two storeys — and the fish move between them with the season.

Whoever fishes Vänern regularly builds something of their own: a log of what took, where and when. That's how the water gives up its patterns — cast by cast, never all at once.